Maternity Assistant (Support Worker)

Job summary

To assist, under supervision of a midwife, the provision of safe, effective, and evidence-based care to all women and their families accessing maternity services.

The postholder will support and observe the woman and her baby through the antenatal, postnatal, and intrapartum period, reporting to the midwife/team leader any changes or information concerning the wellbeing of the woman and her family.

The post holder regularly works without direct supervision.

Confidentiality and privacy must be always adhered to.

Responsible for recording detailed clinical information including completing relevant assessment tools e.g., observations, national, manual handling and local assessments pertaining to the health and well-being of the mother and baby.

Representing the team as MCA.

To contribute to women and their families having a normal and positive birth experience, as far is possible in each situation.

Main duties of the job

Provide support to the midwifery and medical staff in the provision of care within the maternity department. The post is designed to be rotational between departments within the maternity unit and day/ night duty allocations.

To undertake clinical, clerical, and house-keeping duties to contribute to the effective functioning of the maternity unit.

The post holder is expected to undertake a planned course of study at foundation degree level, Care Certificate, which will ensure a basic knowledge foundation from which to undertake their role.

This will include basic training such as adult life support, participating in 'drills and skills' breast feeding, care of the newborn, maternal and neonatal screening, safeguarding children/ caring for vulnerable women and health promotion.

Following training, and once consent has been obtained by the health care professional, assist in screening processes such as phlebotomy, glucose tolerance and new-born bloodspot screening.

Support and assist users of the maternity department with their physical and emotional needs including giving general health advice (such as smoking cessation and on diet) basic observations such as taking temperature, blood pressure respiration, etc.

Participates in and support clinical governance processes - such as following guidelines and supporting the audit programme

About us

London North West University Healthcare NHS Trust (LNWH) cares for the people of Brent, Ealing, Harrow and beyond.

Our team of more than 8,200 clinical and support staff serve a diverse population of almost one million people.

We run major acute services at:

• Northwick Park Hospital: home to one of the busiest emergency departments (A&E) in the country. The hospital provides a full range of services including the country's top-rated hyper-acute stroke unit and one of only three hyper-acute rehabilitation units in the UK
• St Mark's Hospital: an internationally renowned specialist centre for bowel disease
• Ealing Hospital: a busy district general hospital providing a range of clinical services, as well as 24/7 emergency department and urgent care centre, and specialist care at Meadow House Hospice
• Central Middlesex Hospital: our planned care site, hosting a range of surgical and outpatient services and collocated with an urgent care centre.

We are a university teaching NHS trust, in recognition of the important role we play in training clinicians of the future and bringing the benefits of research to the public.